EP3581664B1 - Device comprising a metallurgical vessel - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device comprising a metallurgical vessel which is mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis, the vessel having two support pins which extend therefrom on two opposite sides of the vessel, each of the two support pins being received by a bearing, wherein the bearing is received in a bearing holder and wherein the bearing holder is arranged on a stationary bearing stand or on a foundation.

Metallurgical vessels of this type are, for example, pivotable converters which are mounted in bearings that are subject to corresponding wear; regular maintenance is also required. If such a bearing for mounting the converter is worn out, the bearing, which is usually designed as a roller bearing, is opened (in some cases sliding bearings are also used here), or more precisely the bearing housing that accommodates the bearing. The converter system is lifted with a device to release the system from the bearing housings.

Sometimes a stud frame is built in the converter pit that extends from the bottom of the pit to the bottom of the support ring or the converter. Hydraulic cylinders that lift the system are attached to the stand. For this purpose, a hydraulic lifting tool can also be positioned under the gearbox for the swivel drive of the converter to support the gearbox.

Generic bearings, especially for the storage of converters, are for example in the DE 10 2005 012 601 B2 , in the DE 10 2014 219 307 B3 , in the DE 20 2007 005 054 U1 , in the DE 66 05 434 , in the NL 275 680 A and in the GB 1 038 886 A described or mentioned. The JP S58 207309 A and the US 2007/278722 A1 show metallurgical vessels that are lifted on support pins by means of a lifting device.

When the system is raised, the worn bearing is inspected, serviced or removed and replaced with a new bearing, which can be split or undivided. When maintenance is required, the bearing is often rotated to a different position on the journal.

The system is then terminated again; the bearing housings are then closed again.

This approach has various disadvantages. The necessary conventional lifting device is often large and difficult to access and the construction takes some time. A great deal of effort must therefore be made to change the bearings, since the system has to be lifted, which requires special devices (namely supports and hydraulic cylinders). This makes changing the bearings complex and expensive.

The invention is therefore based on the object of developing a device of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that it becomes possible to significantly reduce the effort involved in changing or servicing worn bearings. In particular, it should be possible to carry out bearing changes or bearing maintenance without complex and expensive devices. Furthermore, the time that has to be set for changing bearings should be significantly reduced. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to simplify the changing of a bearing in a converter. This is also intended to provide an alternative solution for changing a bearing or maintaining it, compared with the previously known measures as set out above. In the same way, in the case of maintenance work or inspections, it should be made possible to carry out these more effectively and faster and therefore more cost-effectively.

The solution to this problem by the invention is characterized in that a lifting device is arranged directly or indirectly on each storage stand, which is designed to raise the support pin for changing the bearing in the vertical direction from the bearing stand by a lifting amount.

The lifting device can be accommodated directly in the bearing stand, making it independent of the bearing housing.

The lifting device preferably has a lifting shell (lifting element) which, on its side facing the support pin, has a shape congruent to the shape of the support pin. This is mostly a cylindrical shape in sections that corresponds to the shape of the support pin.

The lifting device preferably has at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder element for generating a lifting movement.

The lifting device is preferably designed to lift the support pin together with the bearing and bearing holder relative to the bearing stand.

The bearing holder is preferably a bearing housing.

The lifting device can be detachably arranged on the bearing stand, although a fixed arrangement can also be provided.

A further development provides that a drive is present for driving at least one of the carrier pins, which is connected to the carrier pin, wherein a further lifting device is preferably arranged which is designed to raise the drive in the vertical direction by a lifting amount.

In this case, means can be arranged which can be arranged on the drive in order to prevent or limit a tilting movement of the drive about the horizontal axis. These means can comprise at least one sheet metal attached to the storage stand or to a foundation, which for at least one bolt, which is arranged on the drive, enables displacement in the vertical direction and prevents or at least limits movement in the horizontal direction. In this regard, the sheet metal can preferably have at least one elongated hole in which the bolt can move in the vertical direction.

The present invention is preferably used in converter steelworks. In principle, it is based on a bearing housing with a system lifting device.

To raise the system, a raised and lowered bracket (lifting device) is accordingly placed immediately next to the bearing, which bracket preferably has the contour of the bearing journal. In the event of a bearing change, sleeves and other components in the area of the lifting bracket and the bearing covers are removed. Then the consoles are raised on the fixed and floating bearing side. The drive (gearbox) can also be supported by a hydraulic lifting tool. The dampers of the torque arm must be released from the gearbox housing.

As soon as the trunnions are raised sufficiently, the bearing can be changed. The lowering process takes place in reverse order.

In order to prevent tilting around the tilt axis, a possibly occurring moment can be recorded. For this purpose, a guide for the transmission (drive) can be provided in the area where the dampers of the torque support are received. Panels with vertically oriented slots can be permanently attached to the side of the gear unit (drive). The mounting bolts of the dampers can be removed through the holes before the lifting process. In their place, a longer bolt can be inserted that extends beyond the gear housing into the elongated holes in the metal sheets. Here these lie on the side and prevent the system from tipping over. At the same time the brakes of the drive should be engaged.

The bearing housing can be designed as a welded component. Training as cast parts is of course also possible.

The aforementioned stationary storage stand can also be a direct foundation for the system.

In an advantageous manner, there is thus a substantial saving when changing the worn bearings, since a bearing change can be accomplished in a much shorter time and with significantly less effort. This results in shorter downtimes which reduce costs. The additional device elements provided according to the invention are relatively small and space-saving. The same advantages are achieved when it is not a matter of changing bearings, but of maintaining a bearing.

In addition, the proposed device is advantageously used for maintenance, service and inspection of the system.

For the purposes mentioned, it is possible in particular for the device to be integrated into the system so that it is available at any time when required.

Fig. 1

schematisch in der Vorderansicht einen Teil eines metallurgischen Gefäßes, wobei die Lagerung an der einen Seite des Gefäßes dargestellt ist,

Fig. 2

schematisch in der Seitenansicht eine Hubvorrichtung zum Anheben eines Trägerzapfens relativ zu einem Lagerständer, wobei auch ein Teil des Trägerzapfens dargestellt ist,

Fig. 3

schematisch in der Vorderansicht das metallurgische Gefäß, wobei die beidseitige Lagerung sowie im linken Bereich der Figur ein Antrieb (Getriebe) zur Erzeugung einer Schwenkbewegung dargestellt ist,

Fig. 4a

die Vorderansicht und

Fig. 4b

die Seitenansicht des unteren Bereichs des Antriebs zur Erzeugung der Schwenkbewegung, wobei eine gegen Schwenkbewegungen arretierte Stellung des Antriebs dargestellt ist, sowie

Fig. 4c

die Vorderansicht und

Fig. 4d

die Seitenansicht des unteren Bereichs des Antriebs zur Erzeugung der Schwenkbewegung, wobei eine Betriebsstellung des Antriebs dargestellt ist,

Fig. 5

schematisch in der Vorderansicht einen Teil des metallurgischen Gefäßes, wobei die Lagerung an der einen Seite des Gefäßes samt Antrieb dargestellt ist, und

Fig. 6

in perspektivischer Darstellung den unteren Bereich des Antriebs zur Erzeugung der Schwenkbewegung.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

schematically in the front view a part of a metallurgical vessel, the storage on one side of the vessel being shown,

Fig. 2

a schematic side view of a lifting device for lifting a support pin relative to a bearing stand, part of the support pin being also shown,

Fig. 3

schematically in the front view the metallurgical vessel, the bearing on both sides and a drive (gear) for generating a pivoting movement is shown in the left area of the figure,

Figure 4a

the front view and

Figure 4b

the side view of the lower region of the drive for generating the pivoting movement, a position of the drive locked against pivoting movements being shown, and

Figure 4c

the front view and

Figure 4d

the side view of the lower area of the drive for generating the pivoting movement, an operating position of the drive being shown,

Fig. 5

schematically in the front view a part of the metallurgical vessel, the bearing on one side of the vessel including the drive is shown, and

Fig. 6

in a perspective view the lower area of the drive for generating the pivoting movement.

In Figure 1 a device 1 can be seen which comprises a metallurgical vessel 2 in the form of a converter. The converter 2 is arranged to be pivotable about a horizontal axis a. For this purpose, the converter 2 has a support pin 3 in each of two opposite side areas, as well as a support ring 17. Each support pin 3 is mounted in a roller bearing 4. The roller bearing 4 is in turn accommodated in a bearing holder 5 (bearing housing), the bearing holders 5 resting on a bearing stand 6. The storage stand 6 is arranged on a foundation 13.

The bearing housing or an independent system lifting device can also be attached directly to a foundation.

The storage of such a metallurgical vessel is known and disclosed in the prior art mentioned at the beginning.

If the bearing 4 is worn, it must be replaced, for which the present invention proceeds as follows:
Instead of lifting the entire converter in the converter pit, which requires considerable expenditure in terms of equipment and also time, the invention provides that a lifting device 7 is arranged on each bearing stand 6. The lifting device 7 is designed to lift the support pin 3 in the vertical direction V from the bearing stand 6 by a lifting amount h (see FIG Figure 3 ) to raise.

Some details about the lifting device 7 go out Figure 2 emerged. It can be seen here that the lifting device 7 comprises a lifting shell 8 which can be raised relative to a base part by means of two piston-cylinder elements 9. The lifting shell 8 here has a shape F which is adapted to that of the support pin 3. This is a partially cylindrical shape which corresponds to the radius of the support pin 3.

Accordingly, with the lifting device 7, the support pin 3 and thus the entire vessel 2 can be raised in the vertical direction V by such a lifting amount h that the bearing 4 together with the bearing housing 5 lifts off the bearing stand 6 and is accessible for a bearing change. There is consequently no need to raise the converter 2 from the converter pit, which represents a considerable simplification of the apparatus, since the vessel 2 is lifted or to make the bearing 4 accessible, only one lifting device 7 per side or per support pin 3 is required.

In Figure 3 it can be seen that for the purpose of pivoting the vessel 2, a drive 10 (gear) is provided, which is also raised by the aforementioned lifting amount h for the purpose of changing bearings. For this purpose, a further lifting device 11 is arranged in the bottom area of the drive 10, which lifts the drive.

It plays a role here that after the vessel 2 has been lifted by the said lift amount h, no undesired tilting movement of the entire arrangement about the horizontal axis a occurs. Precautions have been taken for this, as described in the Figures 4 to 6 are illustrated.

The drive 10 is prevented from moving in its bottom area in a manner known per se with dampers 18 and is damped in this. The dampers 18 are articulated in the bottom area of the drive 10 with this or with adjacent components.

In order to prevent a tilting movement of the drive 10, means 12 are provided which comprise metal sheets 14 which are permanently fastened in the bottom area of the drive 10 on the bearing stand 6 or on the foundation 13. The metal sheets 14 have elongated holes 16 which extend in the vertical direction V.

Before lifting the vessel 2 or the drive 10, the bolts with which the dampers 18 are articulated on the drive 10 or on the sheet metal 14 are removed. Instead, elongated bolts 15 are used, which are provided for guidance in the metal sheets 14 and which have freedom of movement in the vertical direction V within the framework of the elongated holes 16. These bolts 15 result in a guidance of the lower area of the drive 10 when it is raised by the lifting device 11. The bolts 15 are lengthened in this respect in Figure 4a evident; they extend through the area of the elongated holes 16 in the metal sheets 14.

In Figure 4a and Figure 4b this shows the state in which the described lifting movement takes place. Accordingly, the tilting movement (pivoting movements) of the drive 10 is prevented as a result of the extended bolts 15 used. Meanwhile, in the Figures 4c and 4d the normal operating state is indicated in which the (short) bolts 15 do not extend into the elongated holes 16 of the sheet metal 14 and the ends of the dampers 18 are connected to the drive 10 via the (short) bolts 15.

The explained guidance of the lower area of the drive 10 can of course also be provided if a separate lifting device 11 is dispensed with and the vessel 2 is lifted exclusively with the two lifting devices 7.

The lifting of the vessel 2 at least with the two lifting devices 7, supported in the given case also by the lifting device 11, is thus possible in a simple manner, for which only a small device-related effort has to be made. Nevertheless, the bearing 4 or the bearing housing 5 is exposed to such an extent that bearing replacement or bearing maintenance can be carried out without any problems.

List of reference symbols:

1

contraption

2

metallurgical vessel

3

Support pin

4th

camp

5

Bearing holder (bearing housing)

6

Storage racks

7th

Lifting device

8th

Lifting tray

9

Piston-cylinder element

10

Drive (gear)

11

Lifting device

12

Means for preventing the drive from tilting

13th

foundation

14th

sheet

15th

bolt

16

Long hole

17th

Support ring

18th

mute

a

horizontal axis

V

vertical direction

H

Lifting amount

F.

Shape of the lifting shell

Claims (10)

1. Device (1) comprising a metallurgical vessel (2) which is mounted to be pivotable about a horizontal axis (a), wherein the metallurgical vessel (2) has two support pins (3) which extend from the metallurgical vessel (2) at two opposite sides thereof, wherein each of the two support pins (3) is received by a bearing (4), wherein the bearing (4) is received in a bearing mount (5) and wherein the bearing mount (5) is arranged on a stationary bearing stand (6) or on a foundation,
   characterised in that
   a lifting device (7) constructed to lift the support pins (3) in vertical direction (V) from the bearing stand (6) by a lifting amount (h) for the purpose of exchange of the bearing (4) is arranged directly or indirectly on each bearing stand (6).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lifting device comprises a lifting shell (8) which at its side facing the bearing pin (3) has a shape (F) congruent with the shape of the bearing pin (3).
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the lifting device comprises at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder element (9) for generating a lifting movement.
4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the lifting device (7) is constructed to lift the bearing pin (3) together with the bearing (4) and bearing mount (5) relative to the bearing stand (6).
5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the bearing mount (5) is a bearing housing.
6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the lifting device (7) is detachably arranged on the bearing stand (6).
7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a drive (10) connected with the bearing pin (3) is present for driving at least one of the bearing pins (3), wherein for preference a further bearing device (11) constructed to lift the drive (10) in vertical direction (V) by a lifting amount (h) is present.
8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that means (12) which are or can be arranged at the drive (10) in order to prevent or limit a tipping movement of the drive (10) about the horizontal axis (a) are present.
9. Device according to claim 8, characterised in that the means (12) comprise at least one plate (14) which is attached to the bearing stand (6) or to a foundation (13) and which, for at least one pin (15) arranged at the drive (10), enables displacement in vertical direction (V) and prevents or at least limits movement in horizontal direction.
10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the plate (14) has at least one slot (16) in which the pin (15) can move in vertical direction (V).

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